Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to an apparatus, system, and method for monitoring accelerations of the head and corresponding forces acting thereon, including direct impact and indirect forces.
Background Art
In athletic endeavors as well as routine daily life, the frequency and diagnosis of head injuries has increased. These injuries may occur due to direct impact forces, such as those occurring in head-to-head, head-to-body, head-to-equipment and head-to-ground impacts, and indirect forces such as those that may occur due to a snap or twist of the head or neck and/or due to an impact force to the body. In an effort to reduce these injuries and their complications or prevent further damage once an injury has occurred, systems and methods have been developed for monitoring impacts.
Many of these systems are used in athletic applications and include sensors that are permanently integrated into a protective helmet. As a result, the sensors are not positioned immediately proximate the head or in contact with the head, and may actually measure the acceleration of the helmet or to the chin or jaw, as opposed to the major part of the head. This may lead to less accurate measurements of forces to the head, and, thus, less effective monitoring of impact severity. Additionally, because some systems are permanently integrated with the helmet, they cannot be used separately from the helmet. Therefore, a continuing need exists for innovations in monitoring accelerations of the head and corresponding forces acting thereon, including direct impact and indirect forces.